Posted on 07/30/2006 9:16:21 PM PDT by neverdem
CINCINNATI, July 30 — Immigration agents had prepared a nasty surprise for the Garcia Labor Company, a temporary worker contractor, when they moved against it on charges of hiring illegal immigrants. They brought a 40-count federal indictment, part of a new nationwide strategy by immigration officials to clamp down on employers of illegal immigrant laborers.
Maximino Garcia, the president of the company, which provides low-wage laborers to businesses from Pennsylvania to Texas, stood before a federal judge here on Tuesday to answer conspiracy charges of aiding illegal immigrants and money laundering. If convicted, Mr. Garcia, who pleaded not guilty, could serve 20 years in jail and forfeit his headquarters building and $12 million.
The criminal charges against Mr. Garcia and his company were brought by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, part of the Department of Homeland Security. The campaign has included at least five other federal indictments of business executives in Ohio and Kentucky and has sent payroll managers rushing to re-examine their workers’ papers and rethink plans for their work force.
It also created a new environment of fear in Ohio’s immigrant communities.
“It’s a very uneasy feeling,” said Sister Teresa Ann Wolf, a Roman Catholic nun who works with immigrant workers in Canton, Ohio. “People are afraid to leave the house to go to the store. They are afraid to come to church.”
Until recently, the worst that Mr. Garcia, 43, might have expected from the immigration authorities was a civil fine and the deportation of some illegal workers. In April, with President Bush under fire from both Democrats and Republicans who accused him of being lax on employers of illegal immigrants, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff announced the new campaign. It focuses on those suspected of violations with felony charges that could lead to huge financial...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Hmm. Where I have heard that before?
I would also go after the housing sector.
Illegals should not be able to purchase or rent a place to live.
If employers and landlords/mortgage companies stopped providing jobs and places to live the market for illegals would dry up quick.
I personally have strenous objections to the government putting the burden on employers, wanting them to become INS agents. It's a cop out by the Federal government. It's their job to enforce immigration laws, starting at the border.
Imagine fearing that you'll get caught breaking the law...
Sometimes when I speed down the road I drive in fear too...
And rightly so...
" employers and landlords/mortgage companies " are NOT Federal agents and it's NOT their job to enforce immigration laws.
Why don't we all just start stopping others on the street and demanding their papers? (/sarcasm)
YESSSS!!!
why?
because they don't want the poor illegal to lose their job
Well both sides of the aisle agree on this one now...and I do agree that if the employer was duped, or whatever, that is one thing....but if they knowingly hired illegals, well they should be punished.....If employers don't hire, then there won't be incentive to come.....that is actually MORE important then the border.....as many experts have said
Let's go after the employers, so then all the illegals can go on welfare instead, nobody checks their status when they are applying for that.
What's wrong with this picture?
"WE ALL" shouldn't have to. It's our government's JOB to enforce our laws. Yeesh.
APf
I read somewhere that the largest employers of illegals are the homeowners.
Do you think you could ever find a gardner or a nanny/housekeeper, someone to clean up your backyard, work on your roof, etc., if you insisted to see the citizenship papers of everyone who does this kind of work for you?
As I said, the border should be secured, so they can't get in and they shouldn't get public assistance. Going agter the emplyers is just for show that they are doing something, it hurts businesses, but does nothing to solve the problem.
Law enforcement. Prosecuting felonies. No new legislation.
"It's our government's JOB to enforce our laws. "
===
My point exactly. It's the job of the government, not the job of private citizens, or employers, or landlords, etc.
In the spirit of what I wrote, I don't think that is what you meant "exactly".
APf
I was being sarcastic -- my point was that the government should enforce the laws, instead of expecting private business or citizens to do it for them.
The Federal government should work on securing the borders -- if illegals can't come in, you don't have to worry about them being hired. Also, the worst problem are not those who are working, but those who are getting welfare, so why don't they go after those? Last I heard, at the welfare office its illegal to inquire about someone's citizenship status.
They are the very ones that are making a monetary profit using illegal aliens and they have been sliding all this time, and, for some reason, you want them to be blameless?
Please fill me in on where my thinking is wrong on this.
I want to know if I'm hiring an illegal or not.
I don't want to be part of the problem.
Gee- I see how serious the government is about ending the employement of illegals.... I could guide agents to several employers who have hundreds of illegals working for them, or small operators with only a handful of illegals working for them... but I haven't received any calls yet - have any of you?
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